Triple-punch mechanism



I March 24, i931.

wn'NEssEs l.. H. voLD ET Al. 1,797,739

TRIPLE PUNCH MECHANISM Marchl 24, 1931. H, VQLD E1- AL 1,797,739

l TRIPLE PUNCH'MECHANISM Filed Feb. s, 1927 e sheets-sheet 2 WITNESSES INVENTOR Mmm,

March 24', 1931. L. H. voLD E'r AL TRIPLE PUNCH MEcHANIsM Filed Feb, 3, 192'? INVENTOR WITNESSES March 24, 1931,. l.. H, voLD ET AL 1,797,739

TRIPLE PUNCH MECHANISM Filed Feb. 5, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Much 24, 1931- L. H. voLD E-r AL 1,797,739

TRIPLE PUNCH MECHANISM Filed Feb. 3, 192'? 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fiyi WITNESSES INVENTORS www0@ www Mar-1124, 1931. L. H. voLD ET AL I TRIPLE -PUNCH MECHANISM vs Smets-sheet Filed Feb. 3, 1927 INVENTORS v WITN ESSES Patented Mar. 24, 1931 res ris

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- TRIPLEPUNCH llEC-IANISM Applicaticn le. February 3,r i927. Serial No. 165,690.

This invention'relates to multiple punch mechanism7 more particularly to punch presses in which 'a plurality of punches are disposed in angular spaced relation and actuated by a commonjdrive'shaft.

lt is among the objects oi' this invention to provide a multiple punch press kthat is especially adapted for the punching of structural members such as angles, channels, I-beams,

1Y0 7i-bars and the like7 and Which shall be4 adapted to simultaneously punchy the several sides or legs of such members by a single pass ofthe Work through the machine tool.

Another object of the invention Vis to provide a. punch mechanism Which shall be especiali;7 adapted Afor the punching of AmericanV Railway Association. channel sections and Z-barsemployed in railway vehicle lstructures, and which shall be Jfurther adapted for simultaneously.punching a plurality of Z- bars, angles `and the like. o

Another object` of the invention is to provide a punch mechanism embodying aV centering device which shall functionto always return the Work such asthe channel section to a central position'relative to the die bloclr so as to correctly gage the channel for Web punching. Y

Another object of the vinvention is to provide cam operated strippers which are designed to clamp the Work iirmlyagainst the die block to properly engage it, toV strip the Work off the punch When the latter recedes and subsequently release the material for spacing.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a multiple punch mechanisni' of simple, Y and durable,V mechanical construction; `Which `shall bel eilicient in Vits operation of simultaneously acting on the several faces of a structural steel member Vto perforate its Walls. f i Y ln'the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts, Fig. lis a side elevational view partially in sectionV of a multiple punch press embodying the principles of this invention; Fig. 2 isa side elevational vieiv thereof; Fig. 3 an enlarged detail illustrating the cam operated stripper mechanism; Fig. e a detail view partially in elevation and partially in section illustrating the invention as applied to the punching of Z-bars; Fig. 5 a similar detail view illuarating the punching of an A. R. A. channel mem- 5 ber; Fig. 6 a plan view diagrammatically illustrating the relativepositions of the die blocks; punches i nd stripper mechanism; and

7 is an end elevational view of a center- Y ing 4device employed for the punching or 60 channel members. i

Vlith reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the l structure therein illustrated comprises a machine housing or frame 1 hav- Ying a central opening 2 and a removable c5 bolster 3. The frame is provided With guides l; 5 and 6, respectively., for removably mounting a plurality of punch holders 7 8 and 9, each of which is adapted to carry one or more punches. rlhe movable punch holders 7, S

'and -9 are connected by suitable mechanical linkage to be simultaneously actuated by eccentric drive shaft 10 journalled at the upper right hand portion of the machine trame and secured by a bearing block 11. 75. The linkage connectingv the movable punch velement-s lwith the eccentric drive shaft 10 comprises a rocker 12 and a plurality of levers 13andz14, pivoted at 16, 15 and 17, respectively to `the machine iframe. The rocker 12and the lever 13 are connected by a link 18 at-20 and 19, krespectively and the rocher 12 and lever 14- are joined by a link 21- connected at 22 and 23. rlhe rocker and levers12, 13 and 14 are pivotally connected 85 at25; 24 and 26 respectively, to links 28, 27` and' 29 that Ahave pivotal connections at 31, 30 and 32 respectively; With the movable punch supporting members 8, 7 and 9. The rocker 12 is pivotally connected at 33 with a connecting rod 3i Which is the connecting element ot the movable punch holder actui ating mechanism and, `the eccentric drive shaftlO.r if

The removable bolster 3, Figs. 1 and 2, is provided with a central cut-out portion 36 andr T-slots 37 V'for mounting and securing a die bloclr38 which carries the die 39, Fig. 2.

rlhe die 39 illustrated in Fig. 2 is adapted for the punching of channels or A. R.Y A. En@

beams as illustrated and in punching the latter a plurality of punches 40 are provided which are adapted to act upon the double flanged face/4l, the web 42 and the flange 43 by a single pass of thestructural member or work through the machine. rlhe punches 40 may be controlled to act either simultaneously or consecutively upon the work by the operation ot gag blocks and spacing mechanism, the blocks being effective in rendering certain of the punches rigid for punching for a given stroke ot the punch holders and the spacing mechanism being adapted to advance the work between punching` intervals. Both the block operation and the automatic spacing are coordinated and made fully automatic by a paper tower mechanism asset forth and described in our copending application Serial No. 146,192, filed Nov. 4, 1926.

The machine operating mechanism and the control' mechanism have been diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2, and this mechanism comprises a paper-tower generally designated at 45, which automatically controls the block for the punches 49. rlChe papertower 45 also controls the spacing mechanism of which the swing frame 46, the pitman 47 and the connecting gear trains 43 are shown. The swing frame. actua-tes the ratcheting pawl for the work spacing mechanism and is positively connected through the gear train 48 to the eccentric drive shaft l0.

As shown in Fig. 2 and' as is more clearly illustrated in the enlarged detail of Fig. 5, an extension 50 is provided to cooperate with the die 39 for punching A. R. A. sections of the form illustrated. The member 50 is adapted to engage the web portion 42 `of 'the section and functions as a stripper when the punches` 40 are withdrawn from the work.

In the-punching of channels and A. E. A. sections it is necessary to maintain the work '1n a centralVV position relative to the web punching dies to correctly gage 'for webl punching. This is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by a centering device-illustrated in Fig. 7 which comprises a base 51v secured to the 'bolster 3 by bolts 52 that are disposed in the T-slots 37 of the bolster. 0n the base are arranged a pair ot opposing slides 53 and 54 which carry rollers 55 and 56, respectivelyl The Y V block rollers Vare adapted to engage the flanges oit the channel members mounted on the die 39, and the slides 53 and 54 are adjusted by set screws 57 so that the rollers 55'and. 56 just clear the channel member in its central pos'ition.V The set screws 57 bear on a fixed 8 and the slides 53 and 54 are biased by a coil spring 59 in the direction ot the b loclr 5 3 to maintain contact oli the rollers 55 and 56 with the channel member. rlf'he coil spring 59 is disposed between acollar 60 andrwasher V6l carried by a spindle 62 that extends through openings provided in -the slides 53 and `54.

The tension of the spring` 59 may be varied by adjusting the nuts 63 and on the spindle 62. There are two centering devices such as shown in Fig. 7 mounted on the bolster 3, one at the liront and one at the rear for the purpose of maintainingv the channel under the influence of one or the other of them during the punching operation.

For punching angles and Z-bars special stripperdevices are employed as Yshown in 3, 4, 6 and 7. Referring to Fig. 3, which illustrates the punching of Z-bars, a compound stripper 65 is shown incooperative alignment with the .7 -bars, the stripper being ada-p ed to engage the top llanges of the Z-bars by its vertically depending portions 66 and it,s movable side portion 67, the latter engagingthe web portion between the divergent of the Z-bar members and its lower flange. The legs 66 oit the stripper are vertically movable, to contact with the 7bars, by virtue ota cam actuated mechanical' linkage that is connected to the movable portion 67 oi' the stripper by pivotally connlrs 63. Theside stripper members a vota-lly connected'to the top stripper at 69. I onnecting` links 63 of the stripper are pi'votally connected at 70 to levers 71 that are pivoted at 72'to the machine frame. rlhe levers 7l are connected by a pin 73 that is movably disposed in a slotted opening 74 t vertically reciprocating gear-tooth racks The rack membersA are provided with ear teeth 7 6 and are mounted in guideways be vertically movable therein.. Reciproca- -ory movement of' the rack 75 is effected by ar segments 77, the teeth 7 3 ol which env.ge the teeth 76 or" the rack member. The '--ar segment members are mounted on roel: shafts 79 which are inter-connected by levers 8O and connecting lin rs 81 and 32 and lever 83. One of the roclrshafts 79 is connected by a lever 84 to a push rod35 which extends through a suitable opening in a cam follower 36. A coil spring 3 7 is provided at the extended end of the rod 35 and secured in position by a suitable nut and washer 33 and 39. respectively. The Jiollower l86 is provided with a roller 90 that is in surface contact with a cam 91. The cam is mounted on the eccentric drive shalt 10 to provide for the propertimed relation betweenv the relative'movements of the strippers and the several punch holders. Y

As shown in Fig. 6 the side stripper members 67 are iivoted at 69 and are provided with shoes 6 apivoted at 92 to permit the faces 93 Vthereof to align with the ivorlr when brought 'into engagement therewith. The side strippers 67 by virtue ot the shoes 67a; and their pivotal mounting are constituted toeter members to assure engagement of the strippers over a relatively large area of the rcs punches 40a for example4 act upon the web of the yZ-bars to perforate them, the punches 406 on the lower leg.' or flange and 'the punches Z0c on the upper leg or flange. An adjustable set screw 95 is provided in the upper stripper, the ladjustment of which regulatesthe spacing of the engaging faces of the upper stripper memberand the work.

Viith particular reference to Figs. l, 8 and l of the drawings, the operation of this dehv vice is briefly as follows: n

As shown in Fi'gzl the strippers are clamping the Z-bars hard on the die blocks for ing. When the respective punches act to withdraw after penetrating the Z-bars the strippers are actuated to release the Z-hars hy cam action, as villustrated. in Fig. 3. At 170 degrees ythe cam vstarts toV lift the strippers away from the Z-bar-s, the stripper, cam and. spacing mechanism is so timed yand regulated that the spacing of the worlr to advance it along the die starts at i8()A degrees of the cam at which point the strippers are disengaged from the work, leaving'the material -ree to move. At S55-'degrees the cam starts the strippers down toengage the work. "The strippers come in Contact with' the material to be punched at approximatelylQ degrees; at 2O degrees of the cam the punches will strike. The stripper, spacing and punching mechanism is designed to be 'adjustable to provide for the proper coordination of the strippers," punches and spacing `mechanism fordiiferent thicknesses 4of material within the limits of the machine. f

rThe centering device as illustrated in Fig. 'l' is employed inthe punching of channels and A. R. A. sections and functions in the following manner: 1When punching4 the flange shown in F ig. .7 the channel is shoved up to the diel by the punch and the centering device returns the channel to a Vcentral position so as to gage correctly for web punch-v ing. The centering device Yfunctions in a similar man ner'in the punching of A. R. sections illustrated in Fig; 5 which 4are commonly employed in sub-frame structures of railway vehicles.` y

The multiple punch press is designed to adapt it for use in thepunching of a variety .of structural steelshapes, but it is particu larly designedfor the punching `of a plurality of Z-bars simultaneously, and A. R. A. sections which are. commonly employed in railway car construction. The utilization of automaticA strippers and the cam-actuated operating mechanism therefor permits the sections, a plurality'of punch-holders adapted y coordinating of thel strippers with the movementofthe punches. The kcentering device and the strippers function to correctly gage the work for punching and to hold it against the die. lt is possible with this type of muln tiple punch press to complete the punch-ing'of structural shapes ofv any le'ngthby perforating the webhed angles or legs in a single pass of the work through the machine. The use ofthe automatic stripper and the centering device also provides forth-e allowance of necessary clearance to permit the/material or work to slip off the dies slightly to withdraw the fins, formed by punching, from the die before the 'spacing starts. The lins are caused by imperfect dies and punches and are very troublesome and must be shorn off in spacing unless they are withdrawn from the dies in this manner.

` t is evident from the foreging description of this invention that multiple punch presses made in accordance therewith 4provide eflicin ent and automatic means for simultaneously acting upon the several faces of the work-to be punched by a single pass of the work through the machine. It is further evidentr thatthe coordination of the strippers, centerkingdevic'e and punches inthe manner herein set forth permitthe utilization of anautomatic spacingor feeding mechanism for the work, vand a paper-tower control for the punches and the spacing mechanism, as is thesubject matter of a copending a-pplica Vtion herein referred to, thus rendering the and therefore positive. l

Although the machine herein illustrated entire operation of the machine automatic .features the punching ofA Zfbars, A. R. A.

channel sections, and straight channels it will be obvious to those lskilled in the art that the machines may*r4 be readily adapted for :the punching of any of the well' known struc'- tural steel shapes.

We claim:

fra

1.111 a punch-press the combination witlra plurality of punch-holders mounted for re`V ciprocatory movement in rectangular spaced relation, punches carried thereby,y an eccen? tric drive shafttherefor, rocker connected to said shaft, a plurality of rocker levers pivotally connectedto said holders and positive" links lconnecting saidrocl'rer leversto said rocker whereby rendering saidV holders simultaneously' operative by said drive shaft.

2. Ina punch-press the combinati-on with a plurality of punch-holders mounted for reciprocatory movement in angular `spaced relation, punches carried thereby, an eccentricdrive shaft therefor, a rocker 'operatively connected to said shaft, and a plurality of levers and linlrsconnecting said holders and said Lrocker to render said holders simulta neously operative hy said driveshaft. y

3. In a piinclipress vthey combination of supporting die blocks for punching structural f for reciprocatory movement and disposed in respectively rectangular spaced relation to each other and to said die bloclrs, one or more punches mounted in said holders for perforating said sections, an eccentric drive shaft for reciprocating said holders, a rocker connected to said shaft, a plurality of rocker levers connected to said holders, andV positive links connecting said levers to said rocker whereby to simultaneously a-ctuate the holders for punching all sides of the Work in a single pass.

4. In a punch-press the combination of one ormore supporting die blocks adapted to engage the Web. and anges of structural sections to be acted upon, an eccentric drive shaft therefor, a pluralityT of punch-holders adapted for reciprocatory movement and disposed in rectangular spaced relation to said die block or die blocks, one or more punches for perforating said sections mounted in said holders, a rocker mounted on said drive shaft 'and positive lever connectionsfrom said rocker to the punch holders for simultaneously actuating said holders for punching the web and flanges of the sections in a single pass- 5. In a vpunch-press thek combination of a Workl supporting die block, a plurality of punch-holders adapted for reciprocatory movement and disposed in angular spaced relation with said die block, punches mounted in said holders, cam actuated multiple part strippers for gaging the Work on said die block and for stripping the Work from said .engage the Work atspaced intervals, said strippers being adapted to conjointly engage the Work at the top and sides of the die block simultaneously to hold vit for punching and subsequently release it for spacing.

7. In aupunchpress the combination of a plurality of punch holders mounted to reciprocate in angular' spaced relation With respect to a common die block, punches carried thereby, an eccentric drive shaft, a rocker driven thereby, positive operating connections from said rocker to each of said punch holders, and multiple part pivotally connected clamping and stripping members positivelyY connected to said drive shaft and' adapted to operate in synchronized coordinated relation to said punch holders and both vertically and horizontally engage the Work.

8. A punch press mechanism for strai ht structural sections having rectangularly isposed Walls comprising a Vdie block, clamping devices for holding the stock on the block and for stripping it from the punches, an eccentric drive shaf't, a rocker connected to be driven by the shaft, rocker levers connected to the first rocker by positive links, punch holders mounted to reciprocate horizontally on opposite sides of the die block and connected to said rocker levers so as to be reciprocated thereby, punches carried thereby, and another punch holder carrying a punch mounted above the die block and adapted to be reciprocated vertically by the first rocker.

9. In a punch pre-ss forstandard structural sections, the combination of a supporting die block, a plurality of punch holders mounted to reciprocate in angular spaced relation about said die block, punches mounted in said holders and a centering device for centering the Work upon the die block, said centering device comprising a detachably mounted vbase member, a pair of opposing slide members movably mounted upon said base member, a pair of rollersmounted upon said slide members and arranged to engage the edges of the Werk on opposite sides of the die block, means for selectively adjusting said slide members and rollers to provide for the reciprocation of different shapes of stock, and resilient means biasing said slide members to- Ward a selected position.

10. In a punch press for standard structural sections, the combination of a Worksupporting die block, a plurality of punch holders mounted to reciprocate in angular spaced relation about said die block, punches mounted in said holders, and a pairof centering devices for centering the Work upon the die block, said centering devices being arranged in such a Way that the Work is at all times under the influence of at least one of; them, and each comprising a securely mounted base member, a pair of oppositely disposed rolls yieldably and adjustably mounted upon said base member and adapted to bear upon the opposite edgesof a piece of stock mounted upon the die block.

11. In a punch press for structural sections the combination of a die block having a plurality of Work-engaging side Walls, a plurality of punch holders mounted to reciprocate in angular spaced relationabout said die block, punches mounted in said holders, and a combined gauging, clamping and stripping Vmechanism for gauging the Work and clamping it on the die block, stripping it from the punches and then releasing it, said mechanism comprising a Work-engaging member for each ofthe Work-engaging side Walls of the die block, means pivotally connecting said latterY members together, and

Cil

means actuated in coordination With the punch holders for automatically and simultaneously electing the clamping of the Work to the sides of the block and then releasing it therefrom at predetermined intervals.

In testimony whereof, We hereunto sign our names. o

' LA RS H. VOLD.

KARL R. HAMMERSTROM. 

